Department for Transport

Hammersmith Bridge

Lord Trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect Hammersmith Bridge to be re-opened to vehicular traffic.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Hammersmith Bridge is owned by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) and therefore responsibility for maintaining the bridge, and making decisions on its repair, lies with the borough. The Government has set out a clear commitment to support LBHF in finding a long-term solution for the bridge. As agreed in the Transport for London Extraordinary Funding and Finance agreement of 1 June 2021, the Government will contribute up to 1/3 of the total costs, but no more. The next step to permanent reopening to motor vehicles lies with LBHF, which must submit a satisfactory business case to the Department for Transport. The submission of such a case is a condition for the release of any Government contribution to the cost of repairing the bridge. As the asset owner, it is up to LBHF to take the decision on its preferred engineering solution. The timeline of the project is dependent on the solutions chosen by LBHF.

Great Musgrave Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Highways England about their work at Great Musgrave Bridge in Cumbria on why weight restrictions and repointing were not considered as an alternative to infilling; and what assessment they have made the cost of removing the infilling if retrospective planning permission is not granted.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport approved the works at Great Musgrave after being advised by Highways England that urgent action was needed on the grounds of public safety. This urgent need to act was due to the structure of the Great Musgrave bridge being weak and liable to cause the bridge deck to fall suddenly. The bridge was deteriorating, and no weight restriction was in place, meaning it could be used by vehicles of any weight; weight restrictions on bridges are the responsibility of the Local Highway Authority. A bridge assessment completed in 1998 confirmed that the bridge had a 17-tonne capacity, but no weight restrictions by the Local Highway Authority have been implemented. The support provided by infilling removes the risk that the bridge deck will fall and means a weight limit is no longer required and the bridge will remain safe for everyone who wishes to use it. Alternatives to infilling any bridge are assessed on a case-by-case basis and depend on the specific structure and the requirements for access being retained. In the case of Great Musgrave, the aspiration locally is to re-open the route for use as a heritage railway line going under the bridge; it is not expected that this location would be used for a cycling and walking route. Before a heritage railway could be established, there are land ownership issues to be resolved and a replacement river bridge over the River Eden would need to be constructed. The potential cost of removing the infilling depends on what is done with the fill material. If the fill material is disposed of offsite the estimated cost is £30,000. If it can be re-used to form a walking path, then it is more likely to be £10,000. Removing the infill would then require appropriate protection and strengthening work for the bridge, which is dependent on the required use. For a heritage railway to be established under the bridge, not only would the bridge need strengthening, but excavation works would likely be required to ensure there is sufficient clearance. The infill was carried after written confirmation from the Local Planning Authority was received that the works are classed as Permitted Development. Despite this, Highways England has agreed with the Local Planning Authority to submit formal retrospective planning application at the appropriate time. The infill material will be covered with soil and seeded with grass and have the appearance of a grass embankment when completed; this will be similar in appearance to other projects, such as those at Tadcaster and Lochaber.

Crossrail

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the delays of Crossrail 1, (1)what were the reasons that the delay announced in August 2018 was not sufficient to prevent the subsequent announcement in July 2021 of a further delay to the opening date of the railway, (2) what assessment they have made of the capacity of Crossrail and its owners to provide reliable forecasts for the project, (3) what was the estimated total cost of the project in April 2019, (4) what estimate they have made of the expected cost of the project by June 2022, (5) what lessons they have learned with regard to the timely forecasting of completion dates, and (6) how they are applying any lessons learnt to other major transport projects, such as HS2.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In October 2020, the governance of Crossrail transferred over to Transport for London (TfL). As part of the governance transition, the Crossrail Sponsor Board was replaced and the Mayor of London, who chairs the TfL Board, established a new Special Purpose Committee of the TfL Board, called the Elizabeth Line Committee (ELC). The ELC is chaired by the Deputy Mayor for Transport and provides high-level oversight of the Crossrail project. DfT remains a joint sponsor and retains oversight of and scrutiny of the programme and DfT has a Special Representative on the ELC.The Transport Commissioner is responsible for delivering the project and intended benefits. TfL is responsible for providing reliable forecasts for the project. Crossrail Limited remains a wholly owned subsidiary of TfL.In August 2018, Crossrail Limited announced a delay to the opening of the Elizabeth line. CRL stated that the reasons for this delay was due to more time being needed by contractors to complete fit-out activity in the central tunnels and the development of railway systems software, and that testing had started but further time was required to complete the full range of integrated tests.The most recent announcement was in August 2020, when Crossrail Limited stated that the central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood would be ready to open the first half of 2022. Crossrail announced that the schedule delay was due to lower than planned productivity in the final completion and handover of the shafts and portals and revisions to the schedule assumptions for the completion of the new stations. Crossrail also incurred additional costs and delays as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.In April 2019, Crossrail Limited’s total estimate costs for the project was £17.6 billion. Crossrail Limited’s current forecast cost of completing the programme is up to £18.9 billion. This includes Network Rail On-Network Costs for the surface works but excludes the cost of procuring new trains and depot.The Department is committed to applying the lessons learned on Crossrail to other major projects, including HS2. In April 2019, the Department co-published a report with the Infrastructure and Project Authority (IPA). This identified a number of practical lessons, building on the experience of Crossrail, across five major themes.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide local authorities with clarity about their role in achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Lord Callanan: Officials regularly engage with local leaders on a range of net zero issues, for example through the local energy contact group which last met on 8th July 2021. Future plans for the role of local authorities in meeting net zero will be outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, which is currently under development and due to be published before COP26.

Industry: Liverpool City Region

Baroness Hooper: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, toexpand their Industrial Clusters Mission to other regions; and what consideration they have given to the Liverpool City Region being a suitable cluster.

Lord Callanan: Industrial clusters account for just over half of the emissions by industry, which is why we committed in the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy to delivering four low-carbon clusters by 2030 and at least one fully net zero cluster by 2040. The North West cluster already covers the Liverpool City region. The cluster’s decarbonisation plans will provide over £4bn in investment, delivering at least 33,000 jobs and abating 10m tonnes of carbon across the North West. We have already invested over £45 million into the Hynet Project in the region, through the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge and BEIS Hydrogen Supply and Industrial Fuel Switching competitions, to help kickstart hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their baseline assumption of 160 years for the lifetime of a new nuclear power station, as set out in the Environment Agency guidance on sea level rise, is measured from the expected date of completion of the power station.

Lord Callanan: The effects of climate change, including sea level rise, are considered and adapted to throughout the lifetime of nuclear power stations from design and construction, through operation and on to decommissioning. The UK’s robust regulatory framework is designed to accommodate changes in science and expert guidance, whilst ensuring appropriate assessment of the specific operating lifetime of individual stations. Whilst the National Policy Statement sets out the siting framework and criteria (including flood and coastal erosion risks), all stations will require planning permission and environmental permits from the Environment Agency and safety licensing from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (the ONR) throughout their lifetime. This will require strong evidence from licence holders to demonstrate that the effects of climate change have been thoroughly evaluated and can be managed over the lifetime of stations. The Environment Agency and the ONR would not allow a site to be built or to operate if they judged that it was not safe to do so.

Heating

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when their proposedHeat and Buildings Strategy will be published.

Lord Callanan: As my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out in the BEIS Select Committee on 20/07/21, the Government is planning to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course. The strategy will set out the immediate actions we will take for reducing emissions from buildings, as well as our approach to the key strategic decisions needed to achieve a mass transition to low-carbon heat. In order to ensure that we remain on a credible path to net zero while retaining the option to pursue the optimal mix of technologies, we will grow the heat pump market to 600,000 per year by 2028; and undertake large-scale trials for hydrogen, to prove their safety case and build the market.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the arrangements are for the COVID-19 pilot scheme in which Cabinet members may avoid self-isolating after being contact traced.

Lord Bethell: There are currently two pilot schemes on contact testing. The general public daily contact testing clinical study is a randomised control trial trialling at-home testing led by Public Health England. The workplace daily contact testing pilot evaluation scheme is evaluating the operational feasibility of daily contact testing in workplaces. The Cabinet Office is one of the 20 participating workplaces.The general public daily contact testing study is comparing two approaches to routine testing of contacts. Participants in the ‘self-isolation’ group are given one polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and must isolate for the full self-isolation period even if they receive a negative test result. Participants in the ‘daily testing’ group are given seven rapid lateral flow tests and can leave self-isolation for 24 hours if the test result is negative and also receive two PCR tests. Only participants in the daily testing group who continue to test negative and do not have symptoms are excused from the legal duty to self-isolate each day. Participants in the daily testing group have a legal duty to tell their employer that they are taking part in the study or if they cease to do so.For the workplace daily contact testing pilot evaluation scheme, individuals who work at one of the participating workplaces who have been identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 either in or outside the workplace but not within their own household, can opt to take part in daily contact testing. This involves daily lateral flow tests for each day they attend work for a period of seven days. Participants self-isolate until the first test is taken and if they test positive or they develop symptoms.

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government when all themusculoskeletal regional leads for NHS England will be (1) appointed, and (2) in post.

Lord Bethell: As part of the national Best MSK health programme every region in the country has been advised to recruit a musculoskeletal lead. The recruitment process is currently on-going. While there is no fixed timeline for completion, progress against this recruitment will be reviewed in September and subsequently on a quarterly basis.

Bone Diseases: Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toensure adequate succession planning within the NHS for (1) osteoporosis, and (2) bone health specialists.

Lord Bethell: Individual National Health Service trusts are responsible for ensuring staffing arrangements are in place which deliver safe and effective care, including succession planning.Osteoporosis and other bone health conditions are treated by a range of healthcare professionals, such as general practitioners (GPs), endocrinologists, rheumatologists and orthopaedic surgeons. Since 2010, the number of endocrinologists has increased by over 58%, rheumatologists by over 29% and trauma and orthopaedic surgeons by over 24%. We also have over 900 more full-time equivalent GPs March 2021, compared to March 2020. We continue to monitor the NHS’s workforce requirements and ensure that the NHS has the staff that it needs, including for the treatment of osteoporosis and bone health.

Integrated Care Systems

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure musculoskeletal, fragility fractures and falls are being incorporated into Integrated Care Systems.

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that National Health Service Improvement Musculoskeletal Pathway is included and prioritised within individual Integrated Care Systems.

Lord Bethell: We expect musculoskeletal, fragility fractures and fall services to be fully incorporated into integrated care systems (ICSs) and for the musculoskeletal pathway to play a key role in shaping planning and decision-making.NHS England and NHS Improvement have convened the National Pathways Improvement Programme to reduce variation in access and outcomes and improve performance. Within this programme the Best MSK health collaborative is supporting those in musculoskeletal leadership roles, including within ICSs, and a specific work stream is focused on osteoporosis, falls and fragility fractures in collaboration with professional and patient-facing stakeholders, as well as those with lived experience.

Healthcare Assistants and Nurses

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many full time equivalent NHS contracts for (1) registered nurses, and (2) health care assistants, there were in hospital trusts and community trusts in England in each year between 2010 and 2019.

Lord Bethell: NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care, general practice surgeries, local authorities or other providers. The following table shows the number of full time equivalent (FTE) registered nurses including health visitors and healthcare assistants as at September each year between 2010 and 2019. FTE registered nursesFTE healthcare assistantsSeptember 2010279,88344,024September 2011277,04745,401September 2012271,40747,174September 2013274,62751,645September 2014278,98154,533September 2015281,47458,919September 2016284,28863,103September 2017283,85365,840September 2018285,67466,880September 2019291,53370,331

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tocommunicate (1) to affected patients, and (2) to the general public, that there are many people in the UK for whom COVID-19 vaccines do not offer the same level of protection as they do for the rest of the population.

Lord Bethell: Public Health England (PHE) is monitoring vaccine effectiveness via their surveillance strategy, which was released to the public and health professionals. The latest results showed COVID-19 vaccines to be highly effective, including for most people in clinical risk groups. Preliminary results for the OCTAVE study, which looks at vaccine efficacy in specific at-risk groups are also expected to be published shortly to provide a greater understanding on the level of protection provided. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer and NHS England’s National Medical Director wrote to clinicians on 16 July to provide an overview of vaccine efficacy in those with immunosuppression. This included additional information to inform conversations between clinicians and patients on the individual’s level of risk. The Department is regularly updating stakeholders in the charitable and healthcare sectors on vaccine efficacy for all groups.

Hospitals: Ventilation

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Secretary of State for Health on 12 July (HC Deb, col 26), what percentage of the £90 billion extra provided to the health and care system during the pandemic has been spent on air ventilation units.

Lord Bethell: The information requested is not held centrally as much of this funding was spent at trust level.

Department of Health and Social Care: Billing

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Group Accounting Manual 2020-21 published by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 April, whether they consider that guidance requires in all circumstances (1) a liability to pay interest accruing by virtue of any failure to pay invoices within the 30 day period, and (2) disclosure of such failure whether or not any claim for such liability has been made or settled.

Lord Bethell: The Public Contract Regulations 2015 Regulation 113(7) requires disclosure of the proportion of invoices paid in accordance with an obligation to pay valid and undisputed invoices within 30 days. The Procurement Policy Note 03/16 (PPN) requires disclosure of both the amount of interest paid to suppliers due to late payment and the amount of interest that the authority was liable to pay, whether or not paid, due to a breach of the Regulations. The Department does not interpret liable to pay in the PPN as a strict financial liability it allows for the possibility that the interest is not paid. The Department does not therefore consider that that Group Accounting Manual requires a liability to pay interest in all circumstances.The Manual reflects the disclosure requirements of the PPN which states that disclosure of liabilities should include the total amount of any liability to pay interest which accrued by failing to pay invoices within the 30-day period where obligated to do so and the total amount of interest actually paid in the discharge of any such liability.

Fractures: Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact thatthe Getting it Right First Time programme will have in delivering improved levels of onward referral for patients with newly diagnosed vertebral fractures.

Lord Bethell: The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme reviewed all spinal surgery providers in England in 2019 and highlighted several areas for improvement. We are assessing the impact of these findings and the GIRFT team is due to report on progress later this year when new ‘time to surgery’ data for these conditions has been collected. NHS England and NHS Improvement also plan to increase the number of rehabilitation beds available nationally, which is expected to have a significant impact in improving levels of referrals.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent progressthey have made in ensuring equality in cancer treatment across England.

Lord Bethell: Reducing unwarranted variation in cancer treatment and outcomes is a strategic priority for the National Health Service Cancer Programme. To support cancer services and target local and national actions for improvement, monthly equality data showing first treatment rates by ethnicity, deprivation, sex and age is directly informing the restoration and recovery of cancer services. This includes targeted messaging in the national ‘Help us help you’ campaign to support people coming forward with symptoms indicative of cancer to their general practitioner. In May 2021, urgent general practitioner referrals were 14% higher than in May 2019.NHS England and NHS Improvement have put in place single national commissioning arrangements for a number of cancer treatments to mitigate the risk of unwarranted variation in terms of access and clinical outcomes. Audits are currently being carried out for lung, bowel, prostate and oesophageal cancers and for breast cancer in older people to drive improvements in care and ensure equity. Five new clinical audits will be commissioned for ovarian, pancreatic, non-hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and metastatic breast cancer to ensure that care is being provided in line with standards and reduce variations.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much moneythey have paid in the last two years to companies based in China manufacturing masks and other personal protective equipment; which such companies they have paid; whether there are any complexities in the supply chain which prevent such information from being provided; and if so, what those complexities are.

Lord Bethell: The information on the amount paid to Chinese companies and the specific companies involved is not held in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been procured from a number of different sources internationally which prevents the Department from identifying Chinese companies as all companies can sub-contract a Chinese company. While the Department records contracts made directly with companies based in China, we do not hold a central record of any sub-contracting. PPE was also procured through intermediaries and this information is not collected centrally.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any recommendation from SAGE regarding continued mask-wearing after the lifting of other pandemic restrictions; and what assessment they have made of the effect of (1) mask wearing on the spread of disease, and (2) increased mortality on UK greenhouse gas emissions.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of members of SAGE recommending that mask-wearing continue after other pandemic restrictions are lifted on 19 July; and what consideration they have given to such recommendations in the context of their policy of following the science in relation to the pandemic

Lord Bethell: The Government has reviewed the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies’ (SAGE) advice in relation to face coverings. This advice states that in determining what measures to retain, a choice must be made in terms of the epidemiological risks and the societal and economic impacts of measures. In April 2021, SAGE concluded that face coverings could help with decreasing the transmission risk from a potentially infectious person. However, they should be used in combination with other measures to be fully effective and mitigate risk.Following the success of the vaccination programme, the Government has decided to move away from legal restrictions, including the requirement to wear face coverings, towards personal responsibility and informed judgement. In line with SAGE’s advice, the Government’s guidance remains that wearing a face covering can reduce the risk of transmission. We recommend that people continue to wear face coverings particularly where the risk of transmission is likely to be greater, such as indoor and crowded enclosed or poor ventilated spaces.The Department has not made a specific assessment of increased mortality on the United Kingdom’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are introducing a requirement for proof of vaccination in some indoor spaces from September and not immediately; and what assessment they have made about (1) infection levels, and (2) transmissibility, to inform this decision.

Lord Bethell: Starting this requirement in September allows for all adults in the United Kingdom to be offered vaccination. Infection rates for fully vaccinated in those under 65 years old are three times lower than in the unvaccinated. There is now significant evidence that vaccines are effective at preventing infection and therefore will prevent transmission. There is also further evidence that even if vaccinated individuals become infected there is a reduced risk of transmission to others of approximately 40-45% after one dose.

Office for Health Promotion

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to complete the interview process for the post to lead the Office for Health Promotion.

Lord Bethell: We expect to complete recruitment for senior posts in the Office for Health Promotion by this autumn.

Office for Health Promotion

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure the cross-departmental coordination necessary for the functioning of the Office for Health Promotion; and whether this will involve regular ministerial meetings with all interested departments.

Lord Bethell: Alongside the creation of the Office for Health Promotion, we will establish a new ministerial board on prevention to co-ordinate cross-Government action to improve accountability on the wider determinants of health.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of the (1) Sinovac, and (2) Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines.

Lord Bethell: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not assessed the efficacy of either vaccine.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many additional cases of COVID-19 have beenreported in those care homes approved by Care Quality Commission as ‘designated settings’ for receiving patients discharged from hospital with COVID-19 in England since the scheme was fully implemented.

Lord Bethell: The Department does not hold the data requested.

Lung Diseases: Nurses

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many full time equivalent specialist respiratory community nurses were working in England to support patients with chronic respiratory conditions in each year between 2010 and 2019.

Lord Bethell: The Department does not hold the data requested.

Coronavirus

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any possible correlation between patients being discharged from hospital with COVID-19 (1) to their own homes, and (2) subsequent COVID-19 transmission to family members or paid carers, during the period March 2020 to March 2021.

Lord Bethell: No specific assessment has been made.

Osteoporosis: Nurses

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyOsteoporosis Nurse Specialists are currently in post in each of the NHS England regions.

Lord Bethell: The Department does not hold the data requested.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Coronavirus

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) prisoners, and (2) prison staff, have been offered the COVID-19 vaccine to date; and how many of these have declined.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many, and what proportion, of (1) prisoners, and (2) prison staff, have received (a) one, and (b) two, COVID-19 vaccinations to date.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The population of adult prisoners in England as of 09 July 2021 is 73,642. Of those in prison on 09 July, 61,073 had been offered1 a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those offered, 42,301 have received their first dose (58% of the population), and 18,772 have been offered a first dose but have not yet received one. This may be due to the patient declining the vaccine, or it not being given due to clinical reasons. As of 09 July 2021, 21,476 adult prisoners have had two doses of the vaccine (29% of the population).All staff can access the COVID-19 vaccine through the NHS. However, as of 09 July 2021, 169 staff declared on our HR system that they have declined the COVID-19 vaccine.The total number of HMPPS staff who have declared that they have received their first COVID-19 vaccination, as at midday 09 July 2021 was 24,122. This is equivalent to approximately 44.4% of total staff numbers.The total number of HMPPS Staff who have declared that they have received their second COVID-19 vaccination, as at midday 09 July 2021 was 15,104. This is equivalent to approximately 27.8% of total staff numbers.Now that all adults are eligible, HMPPS will be increasing efforts to encourage staff to record their vaccination status.1. The “offered” figure is calculated on a current population-basis to provide an indicative figure for this request. Actual offers of appointments are not recorded or captured.

Prisons: Coronavirus

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received about the level of vaccination required for (1) prisoners, and (2) prison officers, in order to prevent future outbreaks of COVID-19 in prisons.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Public Health England advice is that we should aim for the highest possible level of vaccination coverage, and higher coverage will help limit outbreaks. Even with a fully vaccinated population, however, smaller outbreaks could occur, because the vaccine does not offer complete protection. The risk of outbreaks is also influenced by other factors including the local demographics, previous exposure, and community prevalence. HMPPS strongly encourages all staff and prisoners to have the COVID-19 vaccine. We ask employees to let us know when they have had each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by recording their vaccine status on our HR system. As the disclosure of their vaccine status is entirely voluntary, it means the self-declaration rates  will be lower than the actual number of staff who have been vaccinated.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Israel: West Bank

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the confiscation by Israeli forces of a prefabricated building which served as a clinic in the South Hebron Hills.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of demolitions and forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes with the Government of Israel. The Foreign Secretary raised ongoing evictions, demolitions and settlement activity with the Israeli Authorities during his visit to the region on 26 May. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

Vietnam: Coronavirus

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made with the government of Vietnam to provide for British nationals over 65 years of age in that country to receive COVID-19 injections.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government of Vietnam has confirmed that British nationals resident in Vietnam will be offered COVID-19 vaccines as part of the national vaccination programme. The programme is currently focused on priority groups, including those over 65 years of age and those with chronic diseases. Information on how British nationals aged over 18 can register for the programme is available on the FCDO's Vietnam Travel Advice pages on gov.uk.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, published on 2 July, that nine out of 10 children in the Gaza Strip suffered some form of conflict-related trauma after the Israeli military earlier this year.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the Euro-Med Monitor report "One Year Older" of 4 July 2021. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli and Palestinian security forces providing appropriate protection to the civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire. We remain concerned by the number of Palestinians, including children, killed and injured in the West Bank and Gaza.

Edwardes College Peshawar

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationthey have made to the government of Pakistan about the return of Edwardes College in Peshawar to the Church of Pakistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Pakistan's Supreme Court recently ruled that the management of Peshawar's Edwardes College be handed over to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, though the property remains under ownership of the Church of Pakistan's Lahore Diocese. This is an independent judicial process.

Pakistan: Education

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Pakistan’s Single National Curriculum and the impact that it will have on the education of religious minorities in Pakistan.

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan to ensure that that country's Single National Curriculum does not discriminate against individuals on the grounds of their religion or belief.

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support they are providing the government of Pakistan to promote inclusivity and non-discrimination in its education system; and whether, in light of the Single National Curriculum, they will reconsider this support.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I recognise the concerns raised by minority groups in Pakistan that the introduction of a single curriculum may be used to marginalise some communities. Through our representation, the UK has made clear that there is a need for an inclusive curriculum, one that encompasses the rich diversity of Pakistan's communities and traditions. We are engaging with the Provincial and Federal Governments to ensure that the new curriculum promotes diversity and inclusion. Through our diplomatic network in Pakistan we have also engaged with young people to discuss the promotion of tolerance and inclusiveness. I will continue to scrutinise UK-funded education programmes in Pakistan to ensure they promote inclusive education.During my recent visit to Pakistan, I discussed the need for inclusive and tolerant education when I met with the Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari on 23 June, and with the Governor of Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, on 22 June. I also met with minority communities during the visit to understand better their concerns, including on education, at an interfaith roundtable and discussions with influential religious leaders.

Ministry of Defence

Veterans UK

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to bring the delivery of veterans’ aftercare within the remit of Veterans UK.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence’s review into the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish (Home Service) Aftercare Service has begun and is currently considering whether the remit of the Service should be widened to cover all HM Forces veterans living in Northern Ireland with Service-related injuries and conditions. The review will consider all services currently provided to veterans in Northern Ireland via the Aftercare Service, alongside ongoing wider Government veterans’ programmes and initiatives. This presents a real opportunity to improve co-ordination of services to offer all veterans residing in Northern Ireland long-term stability for inclusive, coherent, and consistent support. The review is ongoing, and no firm conclusions have yet been drawn on the future structure of veterans’ service delivery in Northern Ireland. The review is due to report in the spring of 2022.

Aftercare Service

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the terms of reference for the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Aftercare Service review; when the review is due to conclude; and which stakeholders have been consulted so far as part of the review.

Baroness Goldie: Under the ‘New Decade New Approach’ political agreement, the UK Government committed to initiate a review of the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Aftercare Service in Northern Ireland. The Terms of Reference for this review consider whether the remit of the Service should be widened to cover all HM Forces veterans living in Northern Ireland with Service-related injuries and conditions. The review commenced in January 2021. Evidence-based options for Ministerial consideration on the future delivery of services to veterans living in Northern Ireland, based on service size, structure, and funding, will be brought forward in spring 2022. This review continues to engage with stakeholders who have a role in supporting veterans living Northern Ireland. This includes: Veterans UK, the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Aftercare Service, the Veterans Support Organisation (Northern Ireland), the Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, the Ministry of Defence, Office for Veterans Affairs, and the Northern Ireland Office. Further external engagement is being planned as the project evolves.

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to cancel the Ajax programme; and what alternatives to that programme they are considering.

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to how the vehicles already delivered by the Ajax programme will be used in the event that the programme is cancelled.

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the Army's capabilities of cancelling the Ajax programme.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin) in the House of Commons on 19 July 2021 to Qustion 33142 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Mark Francois).33142 - Ajax Vehicle Procurement (docx, 15.4KB)

Armed Forces Bill

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagement they have had about the Armed Forces Bill with (1) the Northern Ireland Executive, and (2) individual Ministers within the Northern Ireland Executive; when this engagement took place; and what the outcome was of any such engagement.

Baroness Goldie: The Northern Ireland Executive and relevant Departments, along with representatives from the Scottish and Welsh Governments, were consulted during the development of the Armed Forces Bill, and the former Minister for Defence People and Veterans wrote to the Northern Ireland First Minister and Deputy First Minister on 17 March 2021 outlining the Government’s proposals for the new Covenant duty. The Department is currently engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive on the development of the statutory guidance that will support the new Covenant Duty, including a focus group the week of 19 July 2021, to ensure that the public bodies in scope have the information they need to better understand the impact of Service life on the Armed Forces Community.

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how much they would have to pay of the contract with General Dynamics if the Ajax programme is cancelled.

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the contract for the Ajax programme allows them to reclaim funding from General Dynamics in the event of the programme’s cancellation; and if so, in what circumstances.

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the contract with General Dynamics for the Ajax programme.

Baroness Goldie: The Terms and Conditions of the contract for the Ajax Programme with General Dynamics are commercially sensitive. I am therefore withholding this information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Consequently, there are no plans to publish the contract.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Christians Against Poverty Shipshape or sinking ship?, published on 21 July, what plans they have to review whether social security meets (1) the basic cost of living, and (2) the Eatwell Guide.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Statistics on the number and percentage of children in low income and material deprivation, including by receipt of benefit, are set out in the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. Universal Credit (UC) awards are formed of a Standard Allowance, paid according to age and family status, plus help with eligible housing costs, which can then be supplemented with additional elements for groups recognised as having additional needs, such as parents, disabled people and carers. The rates of benefit are not determined by individuals' living costs. This Government firmly believes that people should be free to spend their benefit as they see fit, in light of their individual needs and preferences. Everyone’s requirements vary and to attempt to base rates upon personal expenditure of individual recipients would produce an unfair and unsustainable system. UC is a personalised system without the ‘cliff edges’ featured across legacy benefits, where money was lost when working more than 16, 24 and 30 hours. UC makes work pay by introducing a smoother, more transparent reduction of benefits at a consistent and predictable rate when people move into work and increase their earnings. A single taper, of 63 per cent per £1 is applied as earnings rise. We have expanded the Holiday Activities and Food programme to all children in every local authority in England, covering Easter, Summer and Christmas in 2021. We also expanded Healthy Start payments from £3.10 to £4.25 a week from April 2021, to ensure pregnant women and children under 4 have access to basic food and vitamins. We take the issue of food insecurity seriously, which is why we added internationally used food security questions to the Family Resources Survey in 19/20 and these questions remain in the survey for 20/21. Statistics on levels of food insecure households covering 2019/20, can be found on Gov.uk.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Southern Water: Fines

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government into what fund the fines levied against Southern Water by (1) Ofwat on 25 June 2019, and (2) the Environment Agency on 9 July, were paid; and what consideration they have given to using this money to make reparations for the environmental damage caused by the company.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: On 9 July 2021, Southern Water was handed a record £90 million fine after pleading guilty to thousands of illegal discharges of sewage which polluted rivers and coastal waters in Kent, Hampshire and Sussex. This court ordered fine, the largest ever imposed on a water company, is absolutely appropriate and welcomed. It will rightly be paid solely from the company's operating profits, rather than customer bills. In accordance with Managing Public Money (the official guidance on government handling of finance), fines and penalties income are surrendered to the Consolidated Fund. The Consolidated Fund receives the proceeds of taxation and other government receipts which fund public expenditure. In June 2019, Ofwat imposed a penalty package on Southern Water of £126 million for spills of wastewater into the environment from its sewerage plants and for deliberately misreporting its performance. Of the £126 million Ofwat penalty package, £3 million was paid as a fine, while the remaining £123 million was to be reimbursed to customers. Southern Water customers received a £17 rebate in 2020/21 and can expect a £11 rebate in each of the following four years. The Government is committed to improving the water environment. On 22 July, the Government and water regulators set out an ambitious programme of reform to build back greener from the pandemic through the review of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). The amended WINEP will deliver greater environmental benefits for every pound invested by companies. From 2020 to 2025 water companies are investing £7.1 billion to protect and improve the environment. This includes the £5.2 billion invested through WINEP.

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported comments made by the Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations that the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement is a “betrayal” of the fishing industry.

Lord Benyon: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement sets our future relationship with the EU as an independent coastal State and reflects the UK’s regulatory autonomy to manage fisheries within our waters. The agreement also provides for an uplift in UK shares of quota equal to 25% of the value of the average annual EU catch from UK waters, and will be phased in over five years with the majority of this value (15%) being transferred in the first year (2021). Based on Total Allowable Catch and prices at the time the negotiations concluded, it is estimated that the full quota uplifts in 2026 could provide around £146 million more quota than the UK had as a Member State. The agreement provides for an adjustment period in which there will be continued access to fish in UK and EU waters. From 1 July 2026, access will be a matter for negotiation as is normal for coastal States.

Pets: Theft

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to introduce legislation to make pet theft a specific criminal offence.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government fully understands the deep distress caused by the theft of a much-loved pet and recognises that the theft of a sentient creature is different from an item of property, however valuable. All reported crimes should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences. The Government's Pet Theft Taskforce has been set up to recommend any necessary measures – legislative and non-legislative - to tackle this crime and consists of Government officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Home Office and Ministry of Justice along with operational partners. The Taskforce is considering the issue from end to end, including causes, prevention, reporting, enforcement, prosecution and sentencing, and is examining every option available to make sure perpetrators feel the full force of the law. The taskforce is due to report its recommendations this summer.

Home Office

Police: Coronavirus

Lord Russell of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many police officers are currently having to self-isolate after being COVID-19 contact traced, and (2) what is the total number of police officer working days lost due to self-isolation in 2020 and 2021.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Home Office does not hold the information requested centrally.The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of police officers on long term sick absence as at 31st March each year, by police force area, in the annual ‘Police workforce’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-walesThe next release of ‘Police workforce’ statistics will be published on 28th July 2021, and will represent the picture as at 31 March 2021.

Proceeds of Crime

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of Suspicious Activity Reports result in action by (1) police, or (2) other relevant authorities.

Lord Greenhalgh: The UKFIU does not hold figures for the proportion of Suspicious Activity Reports resulting in action by (1) police, or (2) other relevant authorities. The UKFIU received over 700,000 SARs in 2020/21 and made these reports available for police and other authorities to access, including in some instances allocating particular high-risk reports to specific partners. The cost of establishing actions resulting from each SAR would be disproportionate, noting that:• a SAR is a report of suspicion as assessed the reporter and is not evidence of criminal conduct.• a single SAR may be used several times by several different agencies for different purposes e.g. the information within the same SAR may inform a) HMRC about taxation b) local police about fraud or theft and c) a government department about a regulatory issue or a weakness in a financial product.some SARs provide new and immediate opportunities to stop crime and arrest offenders, others support existing investigations or help uncover potential criminality that could be investigated, while others provide intelligence useful at a point in the future. some SARs are disseminated to foreign jurisdictions. even if no criminal investigation is conducted, a SAR may contain information that contributes to understanding current threat trends or patterns. This helps reporters and law enforcement to plan and prevent against new crime trends. Further information can be found in the Suspicious Activity Reports Annual Report 2020, including that last year almost £172m of assets were denied to suspected criminals as a result of SARs reporting.

Extinction Rebellion: Demonstrations

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatthey estimate they have made of the cost of policing Extinction Rebellion protests in (1) 2019, (2) 2020, and (3) 2021; and whether any of those costs have been met by the organisers of the protests.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The highly disruptive tactics used by some protesters cause a disproportionate impact on the surrounding communities and are a drain on public funds. The management of protests, including the tactics they use; their cost; and their resourcing, is an operational matter for the police.During Extinction Rebellion’s protests of April and October 2019, the Metropolitan Police Service reported that policing operations for the two extended protests cost around £37m - more than twice the annual budget of London's violent crime taskforce.The right to peaceful protest remains a fundamental tool of civic expression and will not be curtailed by this Government. Protesters are not charged for the costs of policing protests.

Cybercrime

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 19 July (HL1970), what estimate they have made of the absolute number of (1) people, and (2) businesses, in the UK who were phished in the last period for which figures are available; and what proportion of such phishing attacks were successful.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office collects quarterly data on the number of fraud and Computer Misuse Act (CMA) offences made to Action Fraud which have been recorded as criminal offences by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).The most recently available data is available at Table A5 below: (and attached)https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtablesFrom information held centrally, it is not possible to separately identify offences of fraud and CMA offences in which phishing has been involved.Appendix Tables - Table A5  (xlsx, 201.4KB)

Religious Practice: Islam

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 April (HL15173) and 20 July (HL1825), whether they have assessed any mosques in the UK for evidence of the promotion of violence towards non-Muslims, including the dissemination of literature which encourages such violence; and if not, why not.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We assess all evidence of those that radicalise others though their support for or justification of violence, and will not tolerate those who spread divisive and harmful narratives. Any violent threat is assessed and managed by the police and security services based on the threat that it is deemed to pose.Our work to counter radicalisation through Prevent works best when it is delivered in partnership with communities and civil society, including faith institutions.

Cabinet Office

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter in The Lancet ‘Mass infection is not an option: we must do more to protect our young’, published on 7 July, arguing against relaxing COVID-19 restrictions; and what assessment they have made of how their policy on lifting restrictions meets their objective of “following the science”.

Lord True: The Government made a full assessment of the epidemiological and other relevant data ahead of taking the decision to move to step 4 of the roadmap on 19 July and assessed that the four tests had been met. The success of the vaccination rollout has paved the way for the safe and gradual lifting of restrictions. However, the Government has been clear that the pandemic is not over and that the public should continue to practice cautious behaviours. The risks of hospitalisation and intensive care admission in children due to infection is very low (approximately 8 per 100,000 population under 18 are admitted to hospital). Therefore, from step 4, the Government changed the controls that apply in early years, schools, colleges and higher education institutions to maintain a baseline of protective measures while maximising attendance and minimising disruption to children and young people’s education.

Development and Use of Supply Chain Finance (And Associated Schemes) in Government Review

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with Mr Nigel Boardman about the request of representatives of the late Lord Heywood to make representations to the review of Supply Chain Finance during the process of that review.

Lord True: I refer the Noble Lord to my written statement of 22 July 2021. As the written statement notes, where actions have been attributed to individuals, some of which could be read as critical, the individuals concerned or their personal representative, where applicable, were given the opportunity ahead of the report being finalised to make representations on those sections of the report that could be perceived as criticisms to correct factual inaccuracies. Lady Heywood has had access to papers that Lord Heywood would have been shown and, representing her late husband, has been treated on equivalent terms to others involved in the review. During the course of the Review, Lady Heywood made representations to Mr Boardman about the process. Mr Boardman listened to these representations and agreed to undertake additional engagement with Lady Heywood prior to finalising his report.

Development and Use of Supply Chain Finance (And Associated Schemes) in Government Review: Nigel Boardman

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure the independence of Mr Nigel Boardman who is conducting their review of the use of Supply Chain Finance.

Lord True: I refer the Noble Lord to my written statement of 22 July 2021.Nigel Boardman is a distinguished legal expert, having undertaken a number of reviews scrutinising the Government. He was asked to lead this review following the appropriate consideration of relevant interests.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the (1) shortage of HGV drivers, and the (2) agreement to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, on the delivery of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Lord Frost: No assessment has been made specifically of any effects of the lorry driver shortage on the delivery of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, though the Government agrees with industry assessments that there is a significant acute shortage of lorry drivers on top of a longer-term structural shortage. That is why on 20 July, the Department for Transport, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs jointly announced a suite of measures to support the industry in addressing the driver shortage. These measures will be focused on increasing the recruitment, retention and throughput of domestic drivers. More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-package-of-measures-to-support-road-haulage-industry.On 21 July, the Government published a Command Paper (Northern Ireland Protocol: the way forward, CP502) outlining how the Northern Ireland Protocol is not working in its current form or delivering on its objectives. We are seeking to negotiate significant changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol to achieve a new balance that puts the UK-EU relationship on a stable footing. This must involve goods flowing much more freely into Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Cybercrime

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 19 July (HL1969), on which specific pages of the National Cyber Security Centre's websitetheir statistical dataare published.

Baroness Barran: Full details of the NCSC’s comprehensive response to the proactive identification and removal of malicious activity on the internet can be found in its Active Cyber Defence Year 4 report: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/acd-report-year-four. This report outlines all the measures the NCSC takes to identify and remove the malicious activity before it ever reaches the public. Up to date SERS statistics can be found at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/report-suspicious-emails#section_1 If a person falls victim to a phishing email, that should be reported to the police via Action Fraud and it will be logged as a crime. The 2021 Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 32% of businesses identified experiencing phishing attacks in the previous 12 months. The survey does not ask about the proportion of phishing attacks on businesses that were successful. However the survey does find that, among the 39% businesses which identify any cyber breaches or attacks, one in five (21%) of these end up losing money, data or other assets. The government does not hold similar statistics specifically related to phishing attacks against individual citizens.

Email: Fraud

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 19 July (HL1969), what proportion of the 6,500,000 reports received by the Suspicious Email Reporting Service resulted in the removal (1) a scam, (2) a web address, and (3) both.

Baroness Barran: The Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) provides the public with a route for the escalation and removal of suspected phishing campaigns. The automated SERS processes emails received from the public, and if a malicious web address (URL) is identified in the email, a take down request is submitted to the hosting provider. To date we have identified more than 97,500 individual malicious URLs for removal which equates to 50,5000 individual scam campaigns. Multiple reports of the same scams have been forwarded to SERS. The total number of reports to SERS stands at 6.5m as at 30th June 2021. SERS is one tool in HMG’s response to cybercrime, and is intended to empower people to simply forward suspicious emails to the NCSC for action. Full details of the NCSC’s comprehensive response to the proactive identification and removal of malicious activity on the internet can be found in its Active Cyber Defence Year 4 report. This report outlines all the measures the NCSC takes to identify and remove the malicious activity before it ever reaches the public, and can be found at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/acd-report-year-four If a person falls victim to a phishing email, that should be reported to Action Fraud and it will be logged as a crime.